{"id":21263,"date":"2026-03-17T14:58:45","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T14:58:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.logico2.com\/?p=21263"},"modified":"2026-04-13T13:54:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T13:54:27","slug":"raising-the-standard-on-co2-safety-in-new-zealand","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.logico2.com\/es\/raising-the-standard-on-co2-safety-in-new-zealand\/","title":{"rendered":"Raising the Standard on CO2 Safety in New Zealand"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Promoting CO2 safety in New Zealand, from left: Frans Bos (NZBS), Kristoffer Eklund Cuestas (LogiCO2); Celeste Erasmus (McDonald\u2019s); Brendan Smith (NZBS); and Ross Olsen (LogiCO2). NZBS serves as the official Lancer agent in New Zealand and the Pacific<\/p><\/div>\n

On the Frontline<\/h2>\n

Formed in March 2023, NZBS was established as the official agent for Hoshizaki Lancer\u2019s equipment supply business across New Zealand and the Pacific Islands. Through its partner company, Independent Cellar Services (ICS), NZBS offers a full suite of beverage dispense services, from system design and equipment supply through to installation, maintenance, and technician training. This puts its team in direct contact with CO2 in confined spaces on a regular basis.<\/p>\n

The risks associated with CO2 are well documented.\"\" The gas is roughly 1.6 times denser than air, so when a leak occurs, it sinks and accumulates in low-lying and enclosed areas. Because it cannot be seen or smelled, someone could walk directly into a dangerous concentration without any warning. The effects on the human body are severe. At a concentration of 4%, CO2 is classified as an immediate danger to life and health, and at 10%, it can lead to unconsciousness and death.<\/p>\n

This is a risk NZBS and ICS understand well from first-hand experience. Their technicians are often the first through the door at venues, arriving before staff and customers. Brendan Smith, Director of ICS, points out that a cool room locked up since midnight means six hours for even a tiny leak in a gas tube to build into a dangerous situation, with no visible or odour-based warning to alert anyone walking in.<\/p>\n

To protect its own people, NZBS invests in rigorous training for new technicians and annual refresher training for all service staff. The training covers what CO2 is, how to recognise symptoms of exposure, and exactly what to do if exposure is suspected.<\/p>\n

But training alone can only go so far. Smith is clear that the most effective way to protect contractors, customers, and venue staff alike is to have a reliable monitoring system in place. With CO2 alarms installed, you remove the guesswork. The system does the work, and the service technicians are protected whether they recognise the symptoms or not.<\/p>\n

Despite the clear benefits, few venues across New Zealand have a CO2 monitoring system in place. \u201dThere is a real apathy amongst many venues on this issue,\u201d says Smith. \u201dThey see it as a cost, not a health and safety benefit.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The New Zealand Landscape
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In the heart of New Zealand\u2019s breathtaking landscapes, safety and care go hand in hand<\/p><\/div>\n

While New Zealand\u2019s Health and Safety at Work Act places a general duty of care on businesses to manage confined space risks, there is no specific legislative requirement to install permanent CO2 monitoring systems. WorkSafe NZ, the government body responsible for workplace health and safety, currently focuses its enforcement efforts on four sectors: agriculture, forestry, manufacturing, and construction. The hospitality sector falls outside that remit for now.<\/p>\n

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From office to on-site, NZBS leads the way in CO2 safety across New Zealand<\/p><\/div>\n

Australia has already moved further, with legislation now requiring any venue using CO2 in a confined space to install an alarm system. Both Smith and Frans Bos, General Manager of NZBS, believe New Zealand should follow suit, and would welcome government support, such as subsidies, to help smaller operators invest in the right equipment.<\/p>\n

In the meantime, NZBS is not waiting for legislation to catch up. It has already engaged with WorkSafe NZ and government representatives to raise awareness around the CO2 safety issue, and the consistent advice has been to focus on industry education. It is a position NZBS has taken seriously, recently formalising a partnership with Hospitality New Zealand, the membership organisation representing businesses across the hospitality sector, focused on awareness and education. Through that partnership, NZBS will communicate with members through newsletters and the organisation\u2019s website, and also have a presence at the industry trade show in June.<\/p>\n

The scale of the opportunity is clear. Of NZBS\u2019s 500+ regular service customers, fewer than 10% have CO2 monitoring in place, and those that do are predominantly larger, multi-site operators like McDonalds with dedicated health and safety functions. Smaller, single-venue operators remain largely unprotected, even though a typical installation is quick and does not disrupt operations. It can be installed in half a day and requires minimal maintenance. A function check should be performed at least once a year by a certified installer.<\/p>\n

Deepening the LogiCO2 Partnership<\/h2>\n

ICS has been selling and installing LogiCO2 safety systems for over a decade, creating a well-established working relationship to build on. But it was a 2025 visit to New Zealand by two of LogiCO2\u2019s Business Managers, Kristoffer Eklund Cuestas and Ross Olsen, that marked the beginning of something more ambitious: a joint commitment to driving CO2 safety awareness across the region.<\/p>\n

For Smith, it was the visit itself that proved the turning point. Seeing the LogiCO2 team make the effort to travel from Sweden, present their product with genuine passion, and offer to work alongside NZBS to build awareness, made it impossible to say no. \u201dIn hindsight, we should have been doing this way earlier,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

The product itself strengthened the case. \u201dIt\u2019s a market-leading product,\u201d says Smith. \u201dVery easy to install, very easy to maintain, and it does exactly what it\u2019s supposed to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

LogiCO2\u2019s team is also on hand to support installations and provide technical support, ensuring the appropriate solution is chosen for each venue and application.<\/p>\n

A Flagship Project<\/h2>\n

The most concrete expression of the NZBS and LogiCO2 collaboration to date is a comprehensive monitoring system installation at Urbanaut Brewery, a craft brewery and bar-restaurant based in Kingsland, Auckland.
\nCompleted in mid-February without disrupting the brewery\u2019s trading hours, the system gives management confidence that staff and customers are protected throughout the building, and serves as a showcase for best-practice CO2 safety in a real-world brewing environment.<\/p>\n

In June, the brewery plans to host an industry event for New Zealand\u2019s craft brewing community, with a live stream for those unable to attend in person.<\/p>\n

Beyond this installation, NZBS also has its sights set on the winemaking sector, with plans to extend the education programme into that industry later in the year.<\/p>\n

Looking Ahead<\/h2>\n

For NZBS and ICS, the ambition is clear. \u201dThe ultimate goal is every venue in New Zealand that uses CO2 in a confined space has a CO2 alarm,\u201d says Smith. \u201dWe are miles and miles away from that, but that has to be the goal.\u201d This year, the focus is on getting the message out through the Hospitality New Zealand membership base, building on the Urbanaut showcase, and extending the conversation into the brewing and winemaking sectors.<\/p>\n

The aim is not just to sell monitoring systems, but to shift the way New Zealand\u2019s venues think about CO2 safety altogether. For business owners who have not yet taken that step, the message from both Smith and Bos is direct: \u201dIt\u2019s a small investment to keep your staff and customers safe,\u201d says Bos. \u201dDon\u2019t be the venue that ends up on the front page of the newspaper,\u201d adds Smith.<\/p>\n

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New Zealand Beverage Systems is the authorised New Zealand and Pacific Islands distributor for LogiCO2 safety systems<\/p><\/div>\n

Video: LogiCO2\u2019s Solution in Action
\n<\/span>Watch our CO2 awareness documentaries on YouTube. Here\u2019s a link to CO2 awareness, a film by
\nLogiCO2 and SAAC Winery:<\/p>\n